Waist Watchers Special - Apple and Sweet Potato Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This quick and easy soup is simple to make and has the added advantage of being filling, while remaining figure friendly. It is thick and creamy, and because no dairy products are used in its preparation, the recipe may be of interest to those of you are interested in vegan soups. It has gorgeous color and the apples and maple syrup enhance the inherent sweetness of the potatoes, making it a soup that will have special appeal to most young children. The soup can be table ready in 30 minutes, but, whenever possible, I make this the day before I plan to serve it. It's a bit like an engagement. The flavors need time to court and the soup will be at its best if it sits for a day before it's ladled into bowls. This is a thick soup that you will probably want to thin before serving. I also like to add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the pot as it reheats. The vinegar helps balance the inherent sweetness of the soup. This recipe originally appeared in Family Circle magazine and according to their calculations the soup clocks in at 221 calories per serving. That makes it perfect for a soup and salad lunch. Here is how this unusual soup is made.

Table for Two - Ham and Cheese Quesadillas

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While cooking for two may be part art, part science, most would proffer that it's simply the triumph of common sense and the ability to divide or multiply by two. I suspect it depends on what is being made for two. The recipe I'm sharing today is an example of simplicity personified, and its creation, if we can call it that, was dictated by the contents of my refrigerator. Ham and Swiss cheese are normally used to make these sandwiches, but that combination has been overdone in my kitchen and I wanted to make something that might garner more than tepid praise. I grabbed for heat that came in the form of pepper jelly and a Pepper Jack cheese that's been in my refrigerator long enough to develop a rind. The slivered apple was an afterthought, added to provide some contrast and a little texture to an otherwise "soft" sandwich. The combination worked well and I'll be making these sandwiches again. What is important here, however, is really not this particular sandwich, it's the thought that quesadillas, made with almost anything, make a great quick lunch for two people. So, make a mental note of that, take a peak in your fridge and grab whatever delights you, chop it fine, wrap it and throw it on the grill. You'll have a great meal in minutes and no left overs to deal with. If you'd like to give my crazy combo a try, here's the recipe.

Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely cake would be perfect for brunch on Mother's Day, and if you are a mother cooking for your mother, know that she will love it and appreciate your efforts. The recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine and it is almost perfect. I do have a couple of thoughts to share with those of you who are tempted to try it, however. If you have a standard oven, this cake will need more time to bake than suggested in the recipe below. Mine took almost 1-1/2 hours for the center of the cake to properly set. I suspect the time discrepancy can be attributed to the type of oven used to test the original recipe. I'm guessing it was tested using a convection rather than a standard oven. Based on the comments that accompanied the recipe, it is clear that others also needed extra time for baking. I also think you'll have better results with this recipe if you use fresh, rather than frozen, blueberries. Thawed berries are fragile and they will bleed into the cake, adding additional moisture that you don't want here. If you watch the time and use fresh berries, you'll have a really special cake to show for your efforts. The cake keeps well for a day, so there is no last minute effort required to serve something special to your guest of honor. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. You won't be sorry. Here is how the cake is made.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Scones

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Mother's Day will be here before we know it. I have a series of recipes that I want to share with you before it arrives. While they all will make delicious desserts, you'll find these recipes produce cakes and pastries that vary considerably in appearance and the amount of effort required to make them. These scones fall into the easy-to-make category and I know you will enjoy the unique flavor the lemon and poppy seed combination provides. I must, however, warn you that these scones have a subtle lemon flavor, so, if you want a more intense lemon hit be sure to increase the amount of zest and lemon juice you use. This simple recipe is easy to follow and save for making sure the scones are actually done at the end of the prescribed baking period, you'll have no trouble making them. If the mother you'll be cooking for is a lemon lover, she will really enjoy these scones. Here is how they are made.

Menu for the Week of April 27, 2014

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

Frugal Foodie Friday - Fresh Vegetable Subs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The gals in my Tai Chi group take turns bringing a lunch to share with the crew following class. These sandwiches were my contribution the last time I was responsible for providing lunch. Most of us have been dieting, so these subs were especially well received. I got the idea for them at a neighborhood sub shop where a vegetable sandwich has become popular. I enjoyed the sandwiches enough to search for a recipe that would allow me to standardize the base ingredients used to make them. I found one on the Better Homes and Garden website and their recipe is the basis for the one I'm sharing with you today. These subs are delicious, easy to prepare and inexpensive to make. They can also be made ahead of time and they are perfect for those watching  pennies or pounds. Obviously, the sandwiches can be made more substantial with the addition of cheese or thin sliced turkey breast, but I like the simplicity of the basic recipe. These sandwiches will never satisfy a hungry man, but they are perfect for smaller appetites. Their cost also makes them a great addition to a collection of Frugal Friday recipes. Here is how they are made.

German Chocolate Brownies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had our second Easter dinner tonight. The first, which also happened to be our 51st wedding anniversary, was a bit of a disaster. Truth be told, I nearly cremated a leg of lamb that I thought was safely spinning on the spit of our new grill. Like Enrico, the troubadour in Il Trovatore, I was distracted and in my haste to start, finish and prioritize chores, I left both burners, as well as the rotisserie element of the grill on high. Within 40 minutes there was an inch of char covering my gorgeous, and I might add pricey, leg of lamb. Needless-to-say, we had pizza, as well as some interesting side dishes, for dinner Sunday night. Determined to do better, and to prove to myself that some kitchen witch had not stolen my culinary prowess, I recreated our Easter dinner tonight. I'm happy to report I still have game. The Silver Fox loved the brownies I made for dessert, so I thought I'd share them with you. I know you already have a gazillion recipes for brownies, but these German chocolate bars are so nice that I thought they might entice you to add just one more recipe to your collection. The recipe is based on one that first appeared in Cook's Country magazine, so rest assured, the brownies are worth your time, effort and dinero. I know you will enjoy them. Here is how they are made.

Waist Watchers Special - California Chicken Wraps

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's been a busy day. The stitches were finally removed from my right eye and the doctor was pleased with the state of both transplants. You probably heard the huge sigh of relief that inadvertently escaped my lips when he gave me the news. That gave the  Silver Fox and me an excuse to celebrate, and the good news happened to coincide with a break in the weather. We decided to take  a long walk along the river bank and have our first picnic of the season. These Greek-style chicken wraps were the mainstay of today's picnic basket. I'm not overly fond of wraps but these are exceptionally good and I think you will enjoy them as much as I do. I like to make them the night before I plan to serve them. To keep them fresh, I double wrap the rolls. First, they are rolled in several layers of just-moist paper towels and then sealed with plastic wrap before they are refrigerated and the flavors have a chance to blend. I do hope you'll try these amazingly tasty wraps. They are fast and easy to prepare and they make a perfect meal for dieters and those seeking a healthy alternative to standard lunch fare. Here is how these delicious wraps are made.